Melissa McCarthy spoke up about one of the most taboo and sensitive topics for women: body positivity and weight loss. The media has publicly waged war against women who grow into their bodies and love themselves unapologetically. McCarthy is speaking out against its standards.
McCarthy has been a fervent supporter of body positivity. The letters I really love are from young actresses who were worried they had to fit a certain look. They say I’ve opened it up. And I don’t just mean plus-size girls,” McCarthy told Us Weekly in 2013. “You can push things now. With all the great performances in Bridesmaids, it changed how people see funny women.”
The Emmy Award winner also talked about how she learned to stop valuing herself based on other’s opinions or more superficial things. “I’ve been every size in the world. Parts of my twenties, I was in great shape, but I didn’t appreciate it. If I was a 6 or an 8, I thought, ‘Why aren’t I a 2 or a 4? Now I feel like I have two great kids and the dreamiest husband on the planet, and everything else is just a work in progress.”
She’s spoken out against toxic diet culture. In an instance after she landed a role on Gilmore Girls she attempted an all-liquid diet. “I’d never do that again. I felt starved and crazy half the time,” she told People Magazine. McCathry is also quick to point out the double standard regarding how men are treated in Hollywood compared to women.
When referencing an incident with a reporter asking about her weight McCarthy said, “Not to be a jerk or single [the reporter] out, but when John Goodman was heavier, did anybody ever talk about his girth?”
“We have to stop categorizing and judging women based on their bodies. We are teaching young girls to strive for unattainable perfection instead of feeling healthy and happy in their own skin,” she wrote in an Instagram post, including a quote from Gloria Steinem at the end: “Imagine we are linked not ranked.”
Sources
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/g23131238/melissa-mccarthy-weight-loss/
https://www.instyle.com/celebrity/melissa-mccarthy-february-cover
